To help presbyteries and synods better understand the needs of congregations in their area we offer the following resources and services.
Demographics
Research Services provides free online demographic information for the people living in the area around an individual congregation or in a larger community area based on U.S. Census data. This service will give you information on annual population growth, percentage of households with children, adult age distribution, housing types, education level of adults, household income and other important characteristics of people in the community.
Church Trends
Research Services’ Church Trends is the new PC(USA) congregational data website that provides the current year and most recent five years of congregational, presbytery, synod and PCUSA data. Ten-Year Trend Reports are no longer published.
Reports include:
- Overview
- Membership
- Financials
- Diversity
- Leadership
- Education
- Females
- Males
Detailed racial/ethnic and minister reports are also being developed.
If you need more information on your congregation, please contact: research@pcusa.org
Program and Staff Evaluation
Research Services is available to assist presbytery and synods in conducting staff and program evaluation. We do not charge to help a presbytery or synod develop its own evaluation process or to comment on instruments already developed. If Research Services helps to conduct the evaluation, there may be a fee depending on the scope.
Research Services’ role in the program or staff evaluation can be as large or small as the entity desires. The cost depends on the involvement of Research Services staff.
To order or for information about conducting presbytery or synod research, call toll-free (800) 728-7228, x2040 or send email to research@pcusa.org.
Surveys/evaluations
Research Services can provide assistance to presbytery or synod leaders interested in conducting a presbytery-wide or synod-wide self-assessment or in evaluating the programs, services, or structure of the presbytery or synod. Custom-designed surveys can help your presbytery or synod evaluate where you are and where you should be going. They can provide information about the strengths and priorities of presbytery or synod roles and programs, congregational priorities and tools for strategic planning.
Several types of surveys can be conducted. The U.S. Congregational Vitality Survey, for example, is an in-worship survey that can be used to help the presbytery’s congregations identify their strengths and plan for the future. Surveys of pastors in the presbytery or of constituents who use the presbytery’s services can be used to evaluate presbytery programs. Surveys for other needs can be developed in consultation with presbytery or synod leaders.
Research Services will analyze the survey responses and provide a comprehensive, written report summarizing survey results. For information about costs (which vary depending on length of survey and methods of duplication, distribution, and collection of completed surveys), contact Research Services at research@pcusa.org or call (800) 728-7228, x2040.
